Buhari Govt Speaks On Amotekun, Border Closure

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Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, on Saturday, spoke on Amotekun, the Southwest security outfit declared illegal by the Buhari government.

Dingyadi, in an interview with newsmen in Sokoto, said though the governors had good intentions, the constitution bestowed the responsibility of national security on the Federal Government.

He said: “The intentions of the South West governors are good. However, some people have expressed fears on the regional security force.

“Security is an exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government being supported at times by state governments and other organisations.

“If operation Amotekun differs from the support being rendered by state governments to the Federal Government on security matters, then it is unconstitutional.”

Dingyadi, however, noted that the border closure had yielded result regarding the nation’s security, aside the achievements recorded in economic activities across the country.

He further said the police would perform efficiently if the military personnel were withdrawn from areas affected by insurgency, adding that managing internal security was their primary responsibility.

Noting that the military is involved in tackling insurgency because some national territorial areas were taken over by the insurgents, the minister added that the police were capable of containing the situation.

A lawyer, Malcolm Emokinovo Omirhobo, on Friday, filed a suit at a Federal High Court in Lagos, to challenge the declaration of Amotekun as illegal by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

Joined as defendants in the suit are; the President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, the National Assembly, Inspector General of Police, The Army, Navy and Air Force.

Also joined in the suit are Attorney-Generals of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Zamfara, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Borno, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Yobe States.

Omirhobo wants the court to decide whether it is lawful, constitutional and democratic for the Nigerian government to support the institutionalization and implementation of Sharia and the use of Sharia Police (HISBAH) running parallel with the Nigeria Police Force in the defendant northern States with public funds while refusing to support the establishment of Operation Amotekun.